The sheep that survived the wolf attack grazes in a fenced-in area on the Calaway's farm.(Photo: Melissa Siegler/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

HANSEN - Ray Calaway woke up Monday morning and did what he always does — checks on his sheep.

Most days, Ray said he will grab his dog and they'll head out together to the pasture behind the house where the sheep graze. But on Monday he was met with a "shocking" sight. Wolves had jumped the fence around the property and massacred 13 of his sheep. Only one sheep in the field survived the attack.

Ray and his wife, Barb, have lived on their farm in the town of Hansen, about 15 miles northwest of Wisconsin Rapids, since 1980. The couple began raising and caring for sheep around 1990 when their children were young.

As Ray and a representative from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources investigated the scene Monday, they found that the attack had happened across seven acres of land. The further they walked, the more gruesome the scene became, Ray said. The evidence showed that a few sheep were killed then eaten, but others appeared to have been killed for sport, Ray said.

They believed at first that a bear was responsible, but footprints left behind confirmed it was wolves. Ray said he woke the next morning to find three sets of fresh footprints over the ground where the sheep had been buried.

Now, Ray said he feels as if he's always looking over his shoulder, wondering if there's going to be another attack. He has a hard time sleeping and worries what he will find when he goes to check on his animals every the morning. In addition to their dog, they have five lambs and several farm cats.

This isn't the first wolf attack at the Calaway's farm. They lost two sheep in 2017 and shored up their fencing afterward to protect their animals.

The couple cried as they discussed their loss Thursday morning with a USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin reporter. Ray said they considered the animals to be family. The ewe that survived the attack is still a bit skittish, he said, and they aren't sure how it made it out alive.

The attack means the Calaways have taken a financial hit. The DNR reimburses people for their loss in cases such as this. The Calaways aren't yet sure how much they will receive, but it most likely won't be enough to cover the full loss, Ray said. They haven't made any final decisions on what they will do with the reimbursement.

For now, Ray said they are following the DNR's instructions by keeping their dog and their last remaining sheep locked up at night. They also are keeping the area by the house well lit to scare off the predators. Ray said he was instructed not to put any other animals out to pasture in the field for the rest of the year. The couple is also considering putting up solar lights near the field.

"I’m following their instructions and trying to salvage what I have left," Ray said.

Wolves are considered an endangered species and are under federal protection. Only non-lethal abatement options are allowed, said Daniel Hirchert, a wildlife specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This case is one of 17 confirmed or probable wolf attacks to occur in Wisconsin in 2019 and one of four to occur in July, according to the DNR's Wolf Depredation Reports.

The couple said they hope the animals will be taken off the endangered list, so the population can be controlled. Ray said he would like to see the DNR have more power instead of the federal government.

"I don’t believe in just shooting and killing (the wolves), but when it comes to something like this, I think something needs to be done," Ray said.

The USDA and the DNR encourage people to report suspected wolf attacks.

People in the northern part of the state can call the DNR at 800-228-1368 or 715-369-5221. Any attacks in the southern part of the state can be reported by calling 800-433-0663 or 920-324-4514.